At the 2024 Game Awards, Naughty Dog took everyone by surprise by unveiling Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. This new game represents a significant shift for the studio, previously famed for Uncharted and The Last of Us. Following years of rumors and teasers, this reveal beautifully wrapped up the ceremony, and the teaser itself was stunning.
A Heroine Stranded on a Remote Planet
In Intergalactic, players step into the shoes of Jordan A. Mun, a bounty hunter who finds herself stranded on Sempiria, a planet that has been cut off from the universe for centuries. All attempts to explore it have ended in mysterious disappearances. Jordan must leverage her smarts and skills to unravel the planet’s puzzles and, more importantly, to find a way to escape.
Described as a blend of science fiction and meditations on faith
, Intergalactic promises a rich story, continuing Naughty Dog’s recent tradition of delivering deeply narrative-driven experiences.
Gameplay: A New Direction?
While the gameplay is only briefly shown in the trailer, it suggests a shift for Naughty Dog. Gone are the traditional shooters, replaced by more dynamic encounters, especially melee combat with futuristic swords. The game clearly draws inspiration from cult classics like Cowboy Bebop and Akira, and it promises to blend science fiction and action in a visually stunning universe, at least from what these initial images show.
On the technical side, everything was captured in real-time using the game’s engine, and it’s absolutely gorgeous, no complaints there.
A Stellar Cast
To portray Jordan, the studio enlisted actress Tati Gabrielle (The 100, You), who brings a strong and intimidating presence to the heroine. We also see the brilliant Kumail Nanjiani playing one of Jordan’s targets. The experience is enhanced by a soundtrack composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Social Network).
Not Coming Soon
Having been in development since 2020, Intergalactic is Naughty Dog’s first new original project in 15 years, yes, you read that right. However, there’s no release date in sight yet. We might expect a launch in 2026, or possibly even later. Patience will be required, but if the studio stays true to its reputation, this could well be a new benchmark in the gaming world.